RELICS of 19th century Winchester have been revealed in a series of remarkable finds at a city centre construction site.
The discoveries were made at the former Debenhams shop in High Street where MCS Construction is converting the site into restaurants.
During the work, builders have uncovered fascinating signs of the building's past. Department store Sherriff & Ward opened in the early 1880s with Debenhams taking it on in the 1970s.
Sherriff & Ward was noted for fashions, fabrics and furnishings, but the attraction for children was Santa's Grotto.
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Debenhams closed in 2021 and the prominent building has been empty ever since.
Site manager Mark Townsend and his team moved in last October and are working to fit the buildings for Nando's and Five Guys. The work is expected to be finished in July.
In the last week, they have discovered original signage at the front of the building, some of which is painted in gold leaf. The original glass and windows are also still intact.
Mr Townsend, a self-confessed history buff, couldn't believe the discoveries his team had made.
He said: “We only uncovered the signage at the front last week. I wasn't expecting Sherriff & Ward there. Funnily enough, a photo came up on Facebook of the Sherriff & Ward department store in the 1800s. I couldn't believe we had uncovered it.
“You can see the different eras of building, riveted and not riveted. That's how we can age it. If it's riveted, it's the original. The original columns are still in here. There are clear gaps in the walls where a fireplace would have been.
@hampshire_chronicle An incredible view from the top of the old Debenhams store!
♬ In The Clouds - Nathan Hartono
“The extension is from 1954. It's where the church of St Maurice used to be. We've covered a lot of holes up, but if you look into the basement, you can still see a lot of supporting walls. I believe the houses would have had a basement.
"We haven't been asked to do any archaeological work here. The new white block work was built in the 1980s and they didn't find anything then.”
The site manager explained that you can see the ages of the buildings by comparing the brickwork. The side next to the F45 gym is the oldest with the extensions towards St Maurice's Covert built in the 1950s.
“The gold leaf must have stood out huge in the 1800s,” Mr Townsend added. One discovery next to Sherriff & Ward signage are the words "RR &" and then a gap after. It's unknown what that refers to.
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He said: “The style of brick shows they are from different eras. Whoever built the first house, number 12, would have had to copy and keep in character with the rest of them. We're covering the signage now and we have to reinstate what we took off.”
Mr Townsend made it clear that MCS Construction's goal is to preserve the historical parts of the building.
He continued: “The new house is still the same style of brick, but you can see where the old one has weathered over the years. We've renovated all the old original windows and kept the sash windows which are just magnificent. It was all covered when we arrived. Once we took it all off, that's when we found everything.
“We're trying to preserve what we've got. You can see the difference between gold leaf and painted because of the edges. You can see the brush strokes. It's a great building, we want to protect what we've got.
“When we came in here all the windows were blocked off, so we have opened up all of the light. Someone had some money to be able to have windows like these.
“They used original oak which is just fantastic. It gives you a perspective on how old the building is.
“I was expecting to uncover some of this because I like history, I couldn't wait to peel it back.”
One of the best discoveries was the staff living quarters on the top floor of the oldest part of the building. There are several large bedrooms, with most of them still having the original 19th-century wallpaper.
Mr Townsend said: “These are big bedrooms, but it's a bit odd they have a fireplace. It's obviously for staff, it has got to be. Everything is oak, all the doors and windows. They even have the original wallpaper which is hessian-backed. You can definitely tell it's from the 1800s.
“If you were staff living here, you got a big room. You would have to pay £1,200 a month for a room like this in Winchester!”
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The view from the rooftop
The best view of Winchester city centre can be seen from the roof of the building. Looking behind, the cathedral looks magnificent on a sunny, clear day. Towards the High Street, there is a rare view of the top parts of the buildings opposite.
From above, we can see the building which hosts bakery Wenzel's on the ground floor has a magnificent balcony overlooking the High Street. Looking up the High Street, there's a wonderful view of the building line towards the Westgate and beyond.
“This is the best view in Winchester city centre, it's magnificent. You're not going to get better than this. Our goal was to keep what we have got. We're doing our utmost to protect it,” Mr Townsend said.
An advert in the Hampshire Chronicle, on April 17 1886 encapsulates the spirit of Sherriff & Ward. It said: “A new railway for Winchester. Sherriff & Ward have the honour of introducing into Winchester the American automatic cash-railway.
“It is one of the latest triumphs of mechanical ingenuity, and must be seen to be appreciated.
“The transition of the railway is aerial, its journey from the assistant to the cashier being completed in a few seconds, thereby saving the frequent delays of waiting for change on busy days.
"This system is one of the greatest innovations in the daily life of large retail businesses the present decade has witnessed and will doubtless prove a great boon to the public.”
A brilliant insight into a more civilised age.
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